


After a case

by Eagefrien



Series: MSA one shots [26]
Category: Mystery Skulls Animated
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:27:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26257138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eagefrien/pseuds/Eagefrien
Summary: After a night of walking around the woods, Arthur and Vivi find nothing and walk to the van together
Relationships: Arthur & Vivi (Mystery Skulls Animated)
Series: MSA one shots [26]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1667953
Kudos: 13





	After a case

**Author's Note:**

> This was a prompt that I meant to go a different direction but I got tired and felt this worked on its own haha

Thickets of bristles smack against Arthur's face, and he staggers back with a yelp of a cry. The snapping twigs ahead of him stops. “Arthur-!” Her voice is panicked, and he could hear the leaves crunch as she turns, only for it to stop seconds after, “...You alright?” 

His eyes clenched shut. His back and elbow pulsed red from the pebbles digging into him and wet dirt. A crown of leaves stabs into his hair uncomfortably. 

“Mmhm,” Arthur finally croaks out, shifting his mechanical arm and leaning on it as he pushes himself off the ground, “Yep, fine.” His face twisted irritatedly, only disturbed a bit by a leaf falling off his head.

Vivi snickers. “Here, lemme help you you.”

“About time, and next time can you slow down?” Arthur’s voice twangs the smallest bit as he grabs Vivi’s outstretched hand, “I can’t  _ keep up _ with your  _ youthful legs _ ! I’m ninety-two, ya’ whipper… snapper!... ” 

Vivi yanks him to his feet, grabbing his side to stop his wobbling. Arthur still staggers, grabbing Vivi’s shoulders last minute while a wave of dizziness flashes through his head. For half a second, Arthur couldn’t see, relying only on gripping Vivi’s arms.

Thankfully, she holds him steady, making a small comment that Arthur can’t quite hear. 

But the wave subsides. Leaving him Disoriented.

“You good?” 

Honing in on her voice, his vision clears the smallest bit. Vivi was watching him, mouth pressed into a straight line that Arthur could only recognize as concern and a future scolding. 

He didn’t know it was possible to feel guilty and grateful at the same time. And yet…

Arthur deflates and lets go, shifting into his own weight, “Thanks Vi, didn’t mean to scare ya’ there…”

“Well, you’re always scaring me,” she points out, slinging his arm around her shoulder and tugging him along. Arthur complies- the last thing he wanted to do was face plant against the ground again just because he couldn’t keep up.

“Consider it a talent of mine.” 

Vivi puffs out an airy laugh, and Arthur could almost hear her eye roll. “Sure, and I bet I’m a world-class champion of kicking your ass!”

They both snicker, staring ahead and walking in mismatched tandem, allowing the quietness to sit between them for a few seconds longer. Only when Vivian glanced over her shoulder and met Arthur’s eyes they both burst out laughing.

“I swear to god-!” Vivi says between giggles, “I cant even look at you, anymore.”

“Why? Am I too bug-eyed?”

She bobs her head roughly, glancing up at him through marrow sneaky eyes, “Yeah just a little bit, I may have to take them!”

Arthur fakes a gasp, laying a hand against his forehead, “Oh please, these were expensive! I sold my arm for these bad boys!” 

“Oh yeah? I thought the chickens ate it,” Vivi jabs him in the side, eyes crinkling with laughter as Arthur jolts. 

exacting his own revenge, Arthur quickly ruffles Vivi’s hair and smiles as she tries to stop her squeal.

“Nah, those were the pigs. Those fuckers smelled blood and I almost met my parents again.” 

Her expression drops in surprise, before trying to hold back her guilty snicker.  _ “Wow.” _

“What?”

“Nuthin!” Vivi turns her head to the side, her hair swishing around her face dramatically to hide her twisted grin, “... Just didn’t think you’d be so apt to use your parents' name in vain!”

“I said meet them, not swear on them.” He points out. 

“Be careful,” her voice drops to a playful, affectionate tone, smiling lightly, “I’d rather not test fate.”

Arthur didn’t understand at first, quirking his eyebrows as he stared at her before it hit him… along with a glint of his metal arm around her shoulder.

“... Oh..” he purses his lips, stomach tightening as he forces his gaze away and hooks his thumb in his pocket, “... Well, you aren’t going to lose me…!”  _ Unless.  _ His frown tightens even more. Glaring ahead and into the tree lines, he swallows and tries to look back at her, pulling her arm back as well, “What… brings this up? You’re not always this …  _ how should I put this.. _ Worried?” 

She crosses her arms, burying her face in her scarf. Staring at the dirt rather than him. “I dunno,” She says, even quieter, “I’m just.. Worried.” 

“Am I rubbing off on ya’?” He asks, his smile now forced and stilted in an attempt to lighten the mood. 

Vivi briefly glances up at him, the bags under her eyes a bit more noticeable in the shade of her hair, “You can say that. I’ve just been worried about you. Y’know, ever since the.. Incident,” Arthur tenses, a hand at her back, holding her steady, Vivi continues, “i’ve been having nightmares. It’s always different but… I dunno.” 

“... Do you  _ want _ to talk about it?” 

Vivi shakes her head, “When we get to the van. Better let Mystery know that the forest is clear and the guardian is fine. And then we can…” She frowns, sighing, “then I’ll tell you about it.”

Arthur’s eyebrows screw together and for a moment his arm twitches, ready to curl around her shoulder and hug her close… 

“Alright.”

**Author's Note:**

> What do you think? ^^ Leave a comment or a suggestion, or a critique


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